These are testimonials and feed back from parents who already use our setting.

I want to thank every single member of the Footsteps team for the amazing care you give my daughter. Whenever I call I am always put through and reassured, my emails are answered quickly, we are always greeted with a warm welcome. I trust everyone implicitly. i would recommend this nursery to any parent, your child will be in caring, safe & encouraging hands. Thank you'

'The staff at Footsteps are what makes this nursery stand out. My son settled in really quickly and this is largely down to the caring nature of his key person. He is engaged in activities and his curiosity is encourgaed on a daily basis. His development has sped up since starting and I continue to be amazed by what he learns. My return to work has been made as stress free as possible and I feel that my son is looked after well by people who genuinely care about his well-being and needs'

' I would like to say how fantastic the team at Footsteps are. They have been amazing with helping my daughter to settle in. They have been really supportive of my child's speech and language delay. I am very grateful for the support and have spread the word to other mums'

'I think that the Pizza express trip was great. I know she really enjoyed it so thank you for organising it'

'My 2 children have enjoyed their time at Footsteps and we would like to say a big thank you to the whole team'

'I would really like to commend the work you have done in getting my daughter ready for school. My daughter is now relaxed at the prospect of starting school'

'I would like to thank you for all the help and support over the past 3 years and in particular the flexibility you have shown, it has been most appreciated'

'We are 100% confident that we have chosen the right nursery, my daughter has settled in well. The staff are so friendly and welcoming, I loved the family BBQ recently, I am a very happy mum with a very happy baby'

'A massive thank you to you and all the staff for the way my 2 have been looked after, I couldn't be happier'

'I wanted to drop you a line to say how good his key person n caterpillars has been. His new key person on Butterflies has taken on his care very well. They are both great to deal with, sensible and seem to be really focused on my child, his well-being & development. It is much appreciated'

'Thank you all so much for the hard work, enthusiasm, kindness, energy & fun you have put into looking after my child. I can't put into words what a brilliant job you do, day in, day out. We will miss you all very much'

'I cannot praise the staff of Footsteps enough. Both of my girls have been challenging in terms of getting settled as both are quite reserved but they have beensupported and encourgaed by the staff to such a degree that I now have 2 more socially confident, and happy girls. I can't thank you enough'

'I would like to Thank you and your team for all the support over the years and in particular the flexibility that you have afforded us'

'I really like the choice of food at Footsteps, healthy & homemade'

'The staff are really warm & welcoming and have made me feel confortable as a parent, even when calling 2 or 3 times a day'

'I really enjoy the activities my child brings home such as the treasure basket & the story sack. It gives us different activities to do together at home'

'I wanted to praise a member of staff, I spoke to her about my son and she listened, showed empathy and came up with loads of ideas to help, it's nice to know my son is cared for so warmly, thank you!'

'Friendly, happy & lovely staff. They have an interest in my child each day, the nursery has exceeded expectations and we are very happy with everything'

'We always get a super welcome, lots of friendly faces. The activities are varied & stimulating and the end of day sheet is informative, there is nothing we are unsatisfied with'

'I am very happy with the leadership & management of the setting, I always get prompt answers to any questions'

'The setting has very good, help staff'

'I am very pleased that my little girl goes to this nursery'

'No improvments needed, I think everything is at a high level'

'It's great to be able to arrange an early drop off / late pick up if it's needed'

'Good variety of food'

'The staff are freindly, approachable & really good with the kids'

'Newsletters are informative & well-presented'

'I like the wide range of activities available at the setting & the outings, lots of sensory activities & messy play, they also learn & enjoy songs'

'There is always good communication between staff & us'

'Over the last 5 years we have always had a great experience with Footsteps nursery'

'The staff are very welcoming, they have been great with my child & myself'

'I am most satisfied with the lengths that the staff have gone to to make us feel comfortable & secure, I never feel anxious leaving him'

'The children are treated as individuals & the care provided is adapted for this'

'The staff are always happy & positive, this is reflected in my child's behaviour, they are great at praising him for doing things well & encouraging him to try new foods'

'The children always have the appropriate number of staff who communicate well with one another & with parents'

'It is fantastic for my child to have a male role model to look up to'

'I am so happy with the range of activities and the fact that they can play outside every day'

'Settling in has been such a smooth process, the friendly staff did everything possible to help our family settle into the nursery'

'Everyone in the nursery took extra care to ensure that we felt at home'

'The best thing about this nursery are the staff, friendly, always smiling & ready to help anytime with our quiries'

'Tapestry the online learning journals are fantastic, we get regular updates and can see how our son is getting on and what activities he enjoys'

'Our son is very happy to come to nursery, even on weekends he asks 'can I go to nursery today'

Feedback from a recent trip to the bus station

It was an absolute pleasure to have the children from Footsteps here today, The kids are so well behaved as well as happy. They are a real credit to the way you obviously care for them, I will definately recommend your nursery to people'

'We have found the staff friendly & really easy to talk to, they have listened to any of our requests'

'My child enjoys the different activities'

'The sleeping area is great as my child does get a good sleep at nursery'

'My child is happy when I drop her off & happy when we pick her up'

'I have a great relationship with the manager, she answers all my queries efficiently & wthout delay'

'The setting is a warm, loving environment with enough stimulation and also a sense of calm. Our daughter is very happy there & has formed some nice bonds with the staff'

'We feel very confortable leaving our child in your care'

'My child is eating a healthy balanced diet and doing a varied amount of activities'

'The staff are professional & confident'

The following is feedback from our recent Equalities Quality Mark accreditation.

Staff feel confident when discussing diversity in the context of welcoming all famillies into the setting

A welcome bag has been created for parents which supports the process of their child's transition to nursery

You have consistently worked at creating a sense of belonging across the three floors of the nursery by considering how to organise your key groups and welcoming family displays for each age & stage

From a parent................Our final day has arrived......I just wanted to send you an email to express our sincerest thanks & gratiute to you and all the staff at Footsteps. It seems like only yesterday we were dropping them off for their respective first days and I remember the emotions well, how will they cope? Would they be ok? Would they like the staff? Would the staff like them? It soon became clear that our fears were unfounded, over the last few years I have seen our precious boys grow in stature, confidence & ability through the first years of their young lives and it is with a genuine heavy heart that we say goodbye to Footsteps this afternoon. As one chapter finishes, another starts and I have every confidence that our boys have been given the best guidence, encourgement & support by the staff. We can't thank the staff enough for all their help, guidence & support over the years. They have been simply amazing with both the boys and as parents we have felt reassured and confident every morning dropping them off that they will be given the best care. I would like to give a special mention to Hannah on butterflies, the children adore her and as a parent I know they couldn't be in safer, better hands, she really is amazing. Each & every member of staff at Footsteps Hove is a credit to you & themselves, an asset to Footsteps and we cannot praise them enough.

'I would like to thank you all for taking such good care of my daughter she loves coming to Footsteps and we are so pleased that we changed her nursery, the caterpillar team are lovely :)'

'My son is settling in very well at school, he is very well behaved, this is largely down to you, you have helped him to prepare for school'

'Staff are welcoming & friendly, always happy to deal with any questions;

'The day sheet is great, helpful to know what my child has been up to throughout the day'

'Friendly, helpful staff that have always managed to dispel any worries leaving me comfortable in leaving him & knowing he'll be ok'

'We are really pleased with all the different visits, from paramedics & santa. My daughters lanuage skills have sky rocketed since she has been in contact with older children and the good engagement from staff'

'We are delighted how well our child has settled in having completed a move from another nursery'

'The team downstairs on the baby floor are amazing'

'Since my child started at nursery their speech has come on amazingly, she sings songs and talks about things to do with nursery, the staff are so nurturing and look after her so well'

'My son has settled in really quickly, he has additional needs and we are so happy with all the support he is getting. The staff are friendly, helpful & easy to talk to'

'This setting is outstanding. It provides a huge variety of exciting, interactive & fun opportunities. The staff all go above & beyond. They are incredibly effective in supporting my child emotional wellbeing. The leadership & management is fantastic, the manager communicates with us so effectively. You feel the staff care about the children, just thank you, the best nursery we could have found for our daughter 10 out of 10'

'thank you so much for the last 3 1/2 years! My child has definately enjoyed her time with Footsteps, she will miss her friends & the staff, you guys are amazing. We feel so lucky that our child got to be part of such a great nursery'

From our recent Ofsted Inspection - 06/10/17

' All staff are consistently positive and caring, and provide a very welcoming and nuturing environment. They build strong bonds with the children, who feel happy & valued. Staff are particularly attentive to the care needs of the babies and offer them warm affection when needed. Babies settle very quickly and feel safe & secure.'

'Leaders carry out precise assessments and monitoring of the progress that all children make, including different groups of children. There are successful plans in place to offer further support for children who have special educational needs and for those who recieve additional funding. All children make good progress from the starting points in their learning.'

'Staff support children's communication skills well. For example, they watch the facial expressions of babies closely to help understand their feelings and describe what they see around them. Older children enjoy talking about home lives and interests, and they can express themselves confidently.'

'Leaders & staff work closely with parents and other profressionals to help provide consistent care and learning experiences for children. They share thorough information about children's achievements and share expertise to help meet thier individual needs'

'After recent training, staff have added exciting new opportunities for children to explore woodwork tools, helping to develop their strong physical skills and their understanding of how to manage risks safely'

''Staff support the 2-year old children to make their own choices from the wide range of activities available. For instance, children enthusiastically choose to collect fallen leaves. They talk eagerly about their size, coliur & how they have fallen from the trees.'

'Children behave very well. they are kind, helpful and considerate of others. Children are sociable and build strong friendships'

'All children are well prepared for the next stage in their learning and for school. Babies are very confident. They sit up, crawl and walk from an early age and enjoy games such as rolling balls to staff. Two year old children are creative and concentrate well as they explore mud. They pour, mix and squash mud with tools and develop their early imaginations well. Pre-school children pay good attention to detail as they draw and develop the skills they need for early writing. They count confidently and recognise shapes as they play. Children enjoy thier play and are eager to learn more'

My son has been attending the nursery since he was 10 months old. I couldn't be happier. His key person in each age grouo have been great. It gives me such reassurance that he is in great hands. Anytime I speak to the staff they listen and are attentive. Im so happy with his allergy requirements being met, as well as his developmental needs. He is growing into such a star and trhis has a lot to do with the nursery. As a single parent I feel very supported by the staff. I don't have a negative word to say. I will continue to recommend you.

'Yet again, i am very happy with the care my son has been getting from all the staff at Footsteps. We have made a breakthrough with his seperation anxiety. I feel that Jo & the other staff ensure that drop off time runs as smoothly as possible, making it a happier experience for both of us. He is loving 'going on a bear hunt'

'Thank you ever so much for being so great! We had a wonderful time at the barbecue and really appreciate all the care & attention my child gets. He comes home very happy each day'

'Just wanted t pass on our thanks to everyone on caterpillars for making my child's transition so smooth. He LOVES it and that is an understatement. It's so lovely to see how happy he is and how excited he is to come in the mornings, keep it up'

'I came into the nursery this week to talk to the children about my job. What a wonderful bunch of children, so friendly & interactove, they are a credit to the team of staff looking after them, Many thanks'